Christmas time again!
by CullenLover062
Summary: Edward and Bella have been best friends forever, but sometimes that's what makes it awkward. All Human.
1. I choose you

**EPOV**

"Edward, it's me or her. You have to pick one right now!" screamed Tanya

I ground my teeth together "Tanya, I've already given you your answer – I pick Bella...B.E.L.L.A...Bella"

"But why!" she said shaking her head at me," look at the package stood right in front of you – I am AMAZING, you will never get the choice of having anything nearly as good as me ever again." She gestured up and down pointing at herself.

"Tanya, It's Bella" I said firmly

Her face scrunched up into ugly angry mess as she shouted at me "It's Bella, It's Bella – It's always fucking well Bella" then she spun on her heel and stomped out of my house slamming the door behind her.

I cringed at the noise and sat down on the stairs massaging my temples. I felt Bella slide down next to me and rest her head against my shoulder.

"Are you angry with me Edward?" she asked

My head snapped up to see my poor Bella looking up at me with big watery eyes, "Bella baby of course I'm not angry with you, why would I be honey?"

"I don't know" she looked down and began playing with the bottom of my t-shirt

"because I made Tanya leave" she sniffled

I wrapped my arm around her and pulled some tissue out of my pocket and handed it to her.

"Bella, Tanya left because she wanted to, We've been best friends since you were 5 and I was 8 – You didn't tell anyone when I got wasted at yours that time... and I knocked out Eric Flint after he tried to feel you up at prom. Now I'm not gonna lose all that for some loser like Tanya! Anyways I'll never be able to knock out someone again, so I need to keep you around so I have someone to verify my story!"

Bella's laugh filled the hallway and I pulled her up onto my knee so I could hug her properly. Being 5ft 10 was fine but trying to get a sufficient hug from someone who is 5ft 1 (and a half if you ask Bella – I'm not convinced) is a difficult thing, so I spent most of the time picking her up to hug her.

She burrowed into my neck "Edward your 26, we can't live together forever you know"

She looked up at me curiously when I didn't say anything and began laughing again at the sad pout I had put on my face.

"But Bella I can't live without you, who would do the washing machine thing – you know I don't understand all the different buttons!" I whined.

Chuckling she slid of my lap and pulled me to my feet "you're adorable little wife of course!"

**BPOV**

I pulled Edward into the living room and pressed play on the Christmas CD I had paused when Tanya had turned up and caught us hanging decorations around the house. Apparently Edward deciding to spend Christmas with me meant that he didn't love her after the massive 3 weeks they had been dating...Big surprise there!

"It's time Edward" I called as I grabbed the lob sided angel from the Christmas box.

"oh really..." I heard Edward growl, but before I could turn around he had already swept me up in his arms and was holding me up high enough for me to put the Angel on the Christmas tree. Giggling I put the Angel on top and Edward let me fall bridal style into his arms as he continued to spin me around the room laughing and singing along to Rudolph the red nose reindeer until we both collapsed dizzy onto the sofa.

Lying on Edwards chest I felt my heart flip and I soon righted myself, climbed of him and straightened my skirt and one of the ever so festive jumpers my mum sent me and Edward every year. As soon as I was crinkle free, Edward's arms enveloped me and he pulled me back to his chest and began laughing as I frowned at him for wrinkling me.

"Oh Bells, the same thing happens every year! We've spent every Christmas together since you were 9, you should know wearing a skirt is a bad idea!" he said to me chuckling.

I let out a half hearted laugh and looked down at my knees.

"We haven't spent every Christmas together Edward – don't you remember 3 years ago?"

Edward looked at me confused at first, and then suddenly realisation dawned...

"Maria!" he exclaimed

"I'd forgotten about that – it was a shame we missed that Christmas together, her mother's turkey dinner was nowhere near as good as yours and she made Brussels...icky!" he said... missing the sadness pouring over me.

I'd loved Edward my whole life, we had been through everything together. All the family rows, bad break-ups and knock backs had been fixed together with a tub of ice cream, Oreos and Mario kart. It had been like that for as long as I can remember and I don't know what I did before he came along. He was my perfect big brother protector until Maria came along 6 years ago.

_Rewind 6 years_

Edward had been 22 and I was 19 when he started dating her, a year later they were still going strong and Edward decided to spend Christmas over at her parents. I knew he was happy with Maria even though she was a bit clingy for my liking. On Christmas eve I received a call from Maria's sister saying that Edward had proposed to Maria and it was time to get over my little crush and then she hung up on me. I was furious, first because he hadn't told me – and I told him everything, and second because she had said I had a crush on him.

I unplugged the phone and spent Christmas alone in the flat I rented when I moved to Uni, I took down all the decorations on boxing day and completely isolated myself from the world. I couldn't stand the idea of losing Edward to come stupid bimbo that didn't even understand how to turn the shower on in Edwards flat even though she had been practically living there for a year! On December 27th I was sat on the sofa flicking through the music channels when the doorbell rang and Edward was stood there holding a stick of rock and a crooked grin plastered on his face.

I congratulated him on his engagement and watched as his grin dropped into a look of horror, he didn't have a clue about anything and he had never proposed. After a few angry phone calls it turned out Maria's sister was deeply into Edward and thought by dropping such a massive bombshell it would shatter his relationship with me and Maria leaving her to comfort him. She really hadn't thought it through though! Maria and Edwards relationship ended within 2 weeks after that and as I sat there surrounded by empty ice cream tubs, Oreos , the Mario kart theme music playing on the TV and a sleeping Edward rested on my knee. I realised I loved him. Not just as a brother but I wanted him to be mine forever, he carried on dating girl after girl though and I was never willing to risk our friendship over it.

**EPOV **

I watched her looking down, chewing on her lip and slowly her brow furrowed in a look of concentration. She really was beautiful; I could never get over how soft she was and how good she smelled. Most girls just smell of that crappy body spray that they think smells good. But not my Bella, she has her own smell that no perfume could ever recreate. I'd dated a lot of girls after I broke up with Maria trying to fill the void of emptiness inside me. When I moved in with Bella I stopped dating as many girls because "I wasn't as lonely anymore". The truth of the matter was I'd fallen for Bella big style a long time ago, and I used all those girls in an attempt to be happy without her and not ruin our friendship. But I knew I could never be happy without her. The world just shines a little bit brighter when she was around. I love her.

"Edward, snap out of it...hellllllo message to Edward, are you still in there?" Bella waved her hand in front of me smiling.

"Alice and Jasper are here!" she said bouncing off my knee

To be continued...

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><p><strong><em>Hope you like it so far! Please review!<em>**


	2. Time to sort myself out!

**EPOV**

I opened the door to a bouncing Alice.

"Edward!" she shrieked, before throwing herself at me and hugging me as tight as she could.

Now let me explain, Bella and I had been friends forever but one year we had both gone to summer camp and when we got sent to different sleeping blocks Bella had met her brand new BFF Alice and I had met my home boy Jasper. We'd all clicked instantly, Alice and Jasper however had kept seeing each other every other week and had soon fallen in love and gotten married last year. Personally, I love Alice – honestly I do. But how Jasper puts up with her 24/7 I will never understand!

"Alice" I mumbled through her hair

"can't…breath…" I gasped

Finally she unwound herself from my neck and settled on the floor. Jasper then stumbled through the doorway shaking his head and carrying about a hundred suitcases.

"Alice, we're only here for 3 nights! Was it really necessary for all of this?" Jasper said shaking the suitcases.

"Oh course it is honey, Bella and I are going to have a glorious girly weekend and that means….dressing up!" she said planting a kiss on Jasper's cheek, and then she rounded on me.

"Edward, where's Bella! Stop hiding her away! Where is she!" she said looking behind me as if she was going to be there.

"She's putting away boxes in the living room, Alice." I said as she bounded off past me on her own personal mission.

"How you doing bro?" I asked Jasper whilst taking 3 suitcases from him and what looked like a hat box….Alice I will never understand you!

"Oh you know, trying for a baby and everything with Alice – we're not getting very far. I don't even know if I'm ready to be a father. Alice is difficult enough to please as it is…. I'll probably end up dropping it or something" he said sadly.

"Jasper, come on! You're the most responsible guy I know, you handed in your dissertation at Uni like 3 months before it was due in because you read ahead! – and don't even tell me that you haven't read like 3 baby books already!" I laughed.

"Actually, I've read 4 and a book about Women when they give birth so I'm ready for Alice, I don't want her to be alone in this." He said confidently.

"Jasper, I think you two are gonna be just fine – this is your room by the way" I said as we came to a stop at the door.

**BPOV**

Alice came shooting around the corner, sliding on the wood flooring as she came, and managed to land right in front of me.

"Bella babes! I haven't seen you in forrreeevvvveveerrrrr!" she shrieked as I drowned in one of her hugs. Alice may be smaller than me at a tiny 5ft but she's good at jumping and gives ferocious hugs!

"Alice! We saw each other like 2 months ago in London!" I chuckled.

"I know" she wailed "but it feels like forever ago! I missed you!"

"Well you have me now so no more missing me allowed." I said.

Her face dropped. "oh no" she muttered "what's wrong honey – this is isn't the same Bella I left in London – what's happened, spill now!"

"Alice just leave it, I don't want to talk about it" I said trying to stay in control and not cry. She had always been able to see straight through me.

"Bella, come on…it's me!" she wailed

"I said leave it!" I ran past her and up the stairs…running straight into Edward

He caught me, as he always does. But I pulled away from him and carried on down the hall to my room and threw myself onto the bed to cry my heart out again.

**EPOV**

I had just left Jasper in his room unpacking Alice's many dresses (where she thought she would be wearing them is anybody's guess) when Bella came barrelling into me, I caught her with a hand on either side of her, but she pushed out of my grasp, briefly looked up at me and with tears running down her cheeks, carried on running and then slammed her door behind her.

I took off at a jog down the stairs.

"ALICE WHITLOCK, what did you do!" I shouted into the kitchen as I jogged in.

Alice looking up at me, and had her stern face on – which meant she wasn't about to take any crap from nobody.

"If you are implying Edward that I have anything to do with Bella shouting and shoving me out of the way just because I asked her a silly little question then you are wrong!" she huffed.

"What did you ask her!" I said getting more annoyed.

"I asked her what was wrong!" Alice whined "and she wouldn't tell me! But she was already upset when I came in, so it's not my fault. It's yours! AND I suggest you go and fix it! RIGHT NOW because I want a girly weekend and I can't do that if Bella is crying because you did something wrong" then she turned on her heel and stomped out.

I ran my hand through my hair and took off walking a bit slower up the stairs trying to wonder what on earth had just happened.

**BPOV**

I don't know what I'm doing, I'm just bumbling through life avoiding all men who aren't my family, BFF's husband or the untouchable yet perfect Edward Cullen. It's unbelievable how amazing we are together, it's like we work in sync constantly. When I come home from work and have skipped lunch, he's always made me dinner ready for walking through the door. When I don't feel well when I wake up he comes in with pancakes, aspirin and phone for me to call in sick – yet when I ask him how he knew he just shrugs and says he noticed I was a bit iffy last night. We are so perfect, yet that's why I can't lose him, and why I can't say anything!

"Ahhhhhhhhh" I screamed into my pillow.

I sat up in bed and walked over to the mirror, "ok girl, you are a sexy woman and you are gonna go out there and find yourself a boyfriend to take your mind off Edward!"

Then I stomped over to the door and ripped it open to see Edward stood there hand up to knock on the door.

"What do you want!" I growled at him

"Errrr...I just came up to, to see erm if you were ok?" he stuttered taken completely aback by my aggressiveness.

My face softened, I hadn't meant to shout at him, it wasn't his fault that I was in love with him! And after I found my perfect man, I still always wanted to be his Best friend!

"Sorry Honey, just in a hurry – thought we should all go out to night...you know fully enjoy our time with Alice and Jasper and everything...ok" I was rambling and I knew it but Edward still nodded looking confused.

"I'll go let Jasper know then, erm how's about we leave at 6 and go to the pub down the road for dinner?" he asked

"NO!, I mean no... I want a proper night out. How about we leave at 9 and go down to that nightclub at the other end of town? Ok?"

"Sure thing Bella..." Edward said then turned around and wandered off down the hall.

"ALICE COME HERE!" I screamed

Alice came running up the stairs... "Jeeeeees Bella what's you're problem! What's with all the yelling!"

"Alice, I'm going to give you 4 hours to do whatever you want to me, but by the end of it I need to look good enough to go into that nightclub downtown."

Alice's face went from scowl to grin in a millisecond and taking me by the hand, she yanked me into my room and closed the door, and for a second I wondered if I had just made a BIG mistake.

_To be continued..._

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><p><strong>Please review, they make me want to write more!<strong>_  
><em>


	3. Risk

**EPOV**

Bella had been in her room with Alice for almost 3 hours now, It was killing me not to know what was going on. This was so weird for Bella, she hated Alice dressing her up like a Barbie...and I had never known her to willingly go to a nightclub! In fact last time she had been forced to go. She had whined at me the whole night until I took her home!

"Edward stop pacing, you're making me nervous!" Jasper said with a laugh.

"I just wanna know what's going on!" I grumbled.

I sat down on the stairs and rubbed my forehead and ran my hands through my hair messing up what I had worked for 20 minutes to look slightly organised.

I heard Bella's door open and the close upstairs but I remained sat on the stairs, only turning when I heard Jaspers intake of breath. Turning around I came across a sight that left me breathless. Bella's hair was a shade darker brown and hung freely down her back in perfect waves, she wore a skin tight black sequined dress that stopped just underneath her bum and black sequin stilettos that matched. Her eyes were smoky and she looked gorgeous. She reached the bottom of the stairs and I briefly had to remind myself to close my mouth.

"Wow, Bella. You look amazing!" I stuttered as I tried to straighten out my shirt.

"Thanks Edward! Come on Peeps" Bella chuckled "Let's Go!"

In the car Alice called a load of our mates and asked if they were coming or not. The entire journey I looked at Bella. She smelt so different; I mean it wasn't bad perfume – quite nice really. But she just didn't smell right. Finally Alice finished on the phone.

"Angela, Ben, Emma and some others are coming too" announced Alice.

Bella had started to fidget in her chair and play with her fingers in her lap. I was glad to finally see a small part of the Bella I recognised coming through the outfit, even if she did look stunning. When we got to the night club Jasper parked up and we all climbed out.

As we all got to the bar of the club I suddenly became aware of guys leering at Bella and Alice. Jasper appeared to notice this as well and pulled Alice close to him and as realisation passed over her about his feeling jealous she wrapped her arms around his neck and began to kiss him.

After our friends arrived everyone was drinking and before long we all hit the dance floor, I was currently dancing with Angela she was fun and everything but I knew she had the hots for Ben and I didn't stand a chance, but it was nice not to have the worry she thought it was something it wasn't. Glancing around the room I found Bella dancing with some guy I had seen watching her earlier, she was quite obviously drunk and she was laughing as he held onto her hips and ground into her from behind. At the end of the dance I settled into the booth that my friends had commandeered and watched as the guy led Bella over to the bar to buy her some sort of cocktail.

Sitting in the high bar stools Bella had her legs crossed and was sipping on her cocktail as the guy downed his beer. The guy leaned across and ran his disgusting hand up my Bella's leg and I went to stand up. Alice who had as if by magic appeared next to me put her hand over my arm to stop me standing up.

"It's her choice Edward. You can't stop her dating other guys." She said.

"But Alice they aren't dating! He's feeling her up inappropriately!" I growled.

"Is he?" Alice said whilst raising an eyebrow

Looking back over at Bella I watched as the guy leant over and whispered something in her ear, Bella smiled and they both got up and he led her away from the bar. I couldn't help it this time and I leapt up out of my chair, I could hear my heart beating in pure fear. The blood inside me was hot and moving too fast around my body, I could hear it beating in my ears. If I let Bella go off with that guy not only wasI not protecting her, but i would be losing her as well. As I took off after Bella I heard Alice shout after me.

"Don't you dare do this unless you're finally going to admit you love her!"

Rounding the corner I ran straight into Bella and the guy snogging. Not only that, but his hand was running its way up Bella's leg and massaging her bum. Looking up at me Bella smiled lazily.

"Edward honey" mumbled pulling away from the guy and coming towards me. I opened my arms to her but the guy pulled her back into his grip.

"She's with me...Edward" he snarled

"Chris...hic...it's only Edward he's my, hic, best friend! Let me go for a sec babe" she slurred as she tried to push away from him. He pushed her back and stood in front of her. Getting in the way between me and her was a massive mistake, and had made me really mad.

"Back off Man..." he said leaning into me and then in a whisper he said I've spent like 2 hours chatting her up, I'm not leaving until I've banged her..." and that's when I punched him in the face.

I was sat on top of him punching him over and over when I felt Jaspers arm lock around my chest pinning my arms to my sides and pulling me off him, looking around I saw Bella had passed out and Ben was holding her up. Moving through the crowds that had began to form around us I took Bella from Ben and gathered her into my arms.

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><p>We arrived back at mine and Bella's and I carried her upstairs to her room. She had woken up in the car and was now just sleeping so when I got to her room I shook her slightly.<p>

"Bella honey, you need to wake up."

Slowly she opened her eyes and I sat her on the edge of her bed so I could fetch her some sleep wear. I pulled out sweat pants and a T-shirt that used to mine that she often slept in and she lifted her arms and legs as I helped her get changed. I laid her in bed, but she suddenly rolled over and threw up over the edge.

"Edward" she groaned.

"What is it Bella?" I said kneeling next to her.

"Don't leave me, please, I need you. I can't live without you" she cried

"shhhh...honey, I'm not going anywhere, now get some sleep." I cooed.

**BPOV**

OMG my head! What's going on! I rolled over and hit something hard. Opening my eyes I was shot into pure agony as the sun streaming through the curtains shone brightly and blinded me. After a second or two it cleared and I saw Edward lying next to me, on top of the covers. One arm stretched above him and one resting in his forehead his hair was ruffled and he let out a soft snore. I completely relaxed next to him and allowed myself to let myself fantasise that Edward was mine. I shuffled the covers from underneath him and covered him over. Sliding in next to him I rested my head on his chest and slid my hand onto his stomach. He moved in his sleep and I stiffened for a second panicking massively trying to pretend to be asleep in case he had woken up. His arm came down from above him and rested around me but then his breathing deepened a little and I relaxed into his arms. If only life could always be like this...

**EPOV**

I awoke to Bella moving in bed. She was trying to pull covers out from underneath me so I just budged a little, I felt her cover me over and move in next to me, then I felt her slide her hand onto my stomach and relax. I pretended to move slightly in my sleep and wrapped my arm around her, she stiffened and then relaxed into my arms when I pretended to breathe a bit deeper. I knew it was wrong to pretend to sleep but it felt so right to have her in my arms and after that horrible night last night I just wanted to protect her. It wasn't the first time we had shared a bed, but it was the first time i had felt like this.

We lay there for hours, Bella slept in my arms and I breathed her in. Thinking back to what Alice had said when I went after Bella in the club got me thinking. She had said "Don't you dare do this unless you're finally going to admit you love her!" how had she known I loved Bella. Maybe everyone knew, but surely Alice knew Bella's feelings towards me - would she have said that if she thought Bella would shoot me down in flames? Surely not. Could this mean that Bella likes me?

Yawning, Bella sat up in bed and turned to look at me.

"Oh Edward my head!" she moaned

"There are pills and some water on your bedside table" I chuckled as she leant over to take them and then after quickly brushing her teeth came back to snuggle next to me.

"serves you right you know" i said. "I don't know what got into you last night. I haven't seen you drink like that since your Alice's hen night over a year ago!"

"I know, I know." She mumbled into my side "I just had a crazy moment where i needed to look good for once and i wanted guys to notice me"

"Bella honey, you looked more than good! Trust me! And guys have always noticed you, I've have to have a special talk with more than one guy who was up to no good" I said darkly

Looking up at me with big innocent eyes "I looked more than good?" she teased.

Instead of laughing though i looked straight own at her

"Bella never before have I been more turned on at the sight of a woman than last night when you appeared at the top of the stairs. Last night may have been awful but this morning finally got me to admit something to myself I've been trying to avoid for a long time. I Love you Bella, I always have and I always will."

I had just risked everything.

_To be continued..._

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><p><em><em>**Please review! It really pushes me to write more. I hope you're enjoying it, hope there isn't too much cheesiness for you! **


	4. How do I feel?

"_I Love you Bella, I always have and I always will."_

**BPOV**

My heart stopped, I was lying in bed with my Edward. Perfect, indescribable and now possibly mine and he was telling me he loved me. I'd dreamed about this moment for years imagining how perfect it would be and happy I would feel. In my imagination it was beautiful, he wrapped his arms around me and we kissed. Everything was perfect. But now it was happening in real life I didn't know if I wanted it to happen!

What if it wasn't the same dating him as being his best friend what if it was awkward. All of my emotions overtook me as I stared up into his hazel eyes and suddenly I heard a horrible noise around me and then I realised it was sobs ripping there way out of my chest and I had tears running down my cheeks. Edward's face contorted in pain in front of me and his arms enveloped me pulling me into a hug

"I'm so sorry Bella, I thought you knew, I thought you...felt the same. This doesn't change anything, don't worry" he rambled to me incoherently, but my brain still wasn't functioning properly. I couldn't make myself explain how I was feeling. He started to shift next to me.

"I'm so sorry, look I'll go and make you breakfast and then we can just forget this ever happened" he said quickly.

Everything inside me was screaming telling me to speak, to say anything, do anything just stop him leaving. So I did the only thing I could think of, the only thing my brain could function probably because I had rehearsed it so many times in my head. I kissed him.

At first he tensed up, but finally after an agonising second or two his arms wrapped around my waist and my arms snaked around his shoulders holding me close as he kissed me back. In that moment everything fell into place around me. This is Edward, he knows me better than anyone in the whole world, I can trust him. Everything will be fine. Slowly he released me and as our faces parted I whispered up to him, "I love you too" and finally I allowed a smile to split across my face.

**The End**

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><p><em>Hope you all liked it :) Pleeease review! Tell me what you think!<em>


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